Dubai, UAE, 15 July 2018: Emirates Green Building Council (EmiratesGBC), will mark a regional first with an in-depth discussion on scaling up the Net Zero Energy Building movement to create net zero cities, at its seventh annual Congress, the organisation said in a Press communiqué. The Congress will be held under the theme ‘Targeting Zero: A Vision for Future Cities’, on October 9, 2018, at the Pullman Dubai Creek City Centre hotel, the communiqué said.

The event is being held for the second consecutive year under the patronage of the UAE Ministry of Climate Change & Environment, mandated to promote advancements toward a Green Economy in the United Arab Emirates, the communiqué said. The Annual EmiratesGBC Congress brings together international experts to discuss strategies for promoting sustainable built environments for the cities of the future, in line with UAE Vision 2021 and the objectives of the Paris COP21 Climate Agreement, the communiqué further said. The event aims to influence sustainable practices in the UAE’s built environment, help identify key industry challenges and solutions as well as catalyse innovation in green building practices, to create new models that support the country’s efforts to be more sustainable, the communiqué added.

The communiqué said, the 2018 Congress’ discussions will focus on three sub-themes that are closely related to the values associated with the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, as the UAE marks the Year of Zayed to commemorate his 100th birth anniversary, this year.

Saeed Al Abbar

According to EmiratesGBC, the first sub-theme, Inspired Cities, reflects the Wisdom of Sheikh Zayed that supported the UAE’s social and economic transformation into a forward-looking, visionary nation. The second theme, Collaborative Cities, focuses on the value of Respect that was advocated by the late leader to establish a collaborative, vibrant and diverse nation for all, the communiqué said. The third sub-theme, Holistic Cities, mirrors the value of Sustainability, which was an integral component of Sheikh Zayed’s vision to shape the UAE into a sustainably developing country that respects the environment and positively caters to the needs of future generations, the communiqué further said.

Commenting on the Congress, Saeed Al Abbar, Chairman, Emirates Green Building Council, said: “It is forecasted that by 2050, almost 70% of the world’s population will live in cities. Within this same timescale and in order to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement there is a need to decarbonise the global economy by 2050, which necessitates a pathway of developing zero carbon cities. This challenge and unique opportunity forms the heart of the conversation that we aim to steer at the Annual EmiratesGBC Congress.”